A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Zero-Waste Lifestyle

On average, an individual generates about 4.9 pounds of waste daily in the U.S. This waste ends up in landfills and incinerators that emit toxins and greenhouse gases, posing health hazards to human life and endangering wildlife. But, there are several things we can do to manage the waste and save the planet. Here is a practical guide to getting you started.

What Is Zero Waste?

The  zero-waste movement has gained global popularity in the last decade. This system advocates for practices that prevent pollution and wasteful production.

People extract resources like petroleum, trees, and natural metals in the current production system. They then manufacture goods using polluting, wasteful processes and distribute them over long distances. After use, the buyer dumps the item into a landfill or incinerator, which destroys the value of the resources. Whenever a person needs another item, they head to the natural resources, increasing the risk of depletion. Instead of discarding resources, we can reuse them to make new products and reduce waste sent to landfills.

Principles of the Zero-Waste Movement

Although generating no waste is nearly impossible, we can minimize it. The zero-waste movement has a set of principles aimed at helping you change your habits and routine to create a more sustainable community. They include the following.

Refuse

You can prevent waste from entering your house by refusing things you don’t need. Don’t bring home paper flyers, free magazines from conferences, physical receipts, takeout containers, or plastic shopping bags. Say no to single-use disposable utensils.

Instead of single-use cups, buy reusable ones. You can take a picture of the promotional material on your phone rather than carrying the pamphlet home. Only buy package-free items and consider water refills instead of buying a water bottle each time. If you refuse to accept short-lived non-necessities, their demand will decrease, and so will the production.

Reduce

Adapt minimalist habits by buying only what you need. Avoid fast fashion and cheap electronics since they quickly make their way to the dumpsites. Only buy items that you can’t do without and opt for the highest-quality products within your budget. Quality products last longer, so you won’t need to repurchase them soon. By reducing what you use, you lower the waste you need to throw out.

Reuse

Make the best use of all items that get into your house. This includes repairing items to extend their life span. If your phone or household appliance breaks down, consider repairing rather than buying a new one. Donate unused items for reuse rather than dumping them. Declutter your home and sell items that you don’t use. Also, purchase secondhand items to minimize waste and pollution and protect natural resources.

Buy reusable items like steel water bottles rather than plastics and rags instead of paper towels. Bring a container when shopping for flour, nuts, rice, or other grains. Buy food items in bulk rather than in small packages. Reusing conserves the energy that goes into making the product the first time.

Recycle

Recycle items that you can’t reduce or reuse. This involves refabricating materials already harvested from the earth to make new products to conserve natural resources. The zero-waste campaign advocates for less recycling, so it should be your last resort. This is because the recycling facilities can only handle a specific amount, and anything that isn’t recyclable ends up in the landfills. If you reduce the amount of waste coming into your house, you also lower the number of recyclable items.

Rot

Decompose organic waste in your garden or through a community green bag program to reintroduce nutrients to the soil. If you dispose of food and plant-based materials at airtight landfills, they emit methane gas, a hazardous air pollutant.

Tips to Minimize Waste at Home

After knowing the zero-waste policies, you need to apply them in your day-to-day life to reduce household waste. Consider the tips below.

Minimize Food Waste

Food production uses up 50% of U.S. land and 80% of fresh water and requires 10% of the energy budget to transport it from the farms to the market. Unfortunately, 40% of the food goes uneaten, and it’s one of the largest components of municipal solid waste in the landfills. To avoid this, note the expiry dates of the food in your fridge and plan your meals accordingly. Prepare meal plans before shopping to avoid buying food you don’t need. Try new recipes with your leftovers and compost the scraps.

Shift to Paperless Billing

Paper makes up 40% of all the waste in the country. You can reduce this by switching to electronic billing. Opt for e-receipts when you shop and consider a digital subscription to your favorite magazines. Save documents digitally, and unsubscribe from catalog mailers to reduce the amount of paper your household disposes of each year.

Shop at the Local Stores

Promote your local vendors since they likely use less packaging. Most of them even have return policies for baskets and cartons. Locally produced items reduce energy costs since they don’t require long transportation and high refrigeration.

Minimize Plastics Use

Always bring a canvas bag while shopping and carry a coffee mug to work. Get a good lunchbox with various compartments to do away with plastic wraps. Use empty glass jars and other reusable containers to store food. Carry silverware while visiting places that offer disposable options. Drink your beverages without a straw, or buy the reusable ones. Skip takeout and make meals at home to avoid bringing unnecessary packages.

Use Biodegradable Items

Buy from brands that support the zero-waste campaigns and those that sell items in recyclable packages. Switch to the biodegradable bamboo toothbrush and zero-waste toothpaste with a decomposable tube to minimize the amount of plastics in landfills. Use cloth diapers with disposable liners and eco-friendly wipes.

Summing Up

Small lifestyle changes like mindful shopping and reusing and recycling products can significantly lower the amount of waste from your home. Evaluate the type of trash in your household to guide you in adopting sustainable waste management policies. Your contribution to zero-waste will help preserve natural resources for future generations.